Stay
by ZJeM
Summary: She was aware of his pain, of the darkness inside of him that could have mopped her up if she tried to fight it defenselessly. She could have run away and lead the seemingly peaceful life she'd led until then. But she wanted to stay.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own the _Percy Jackson_ or _Heroes of Olympus _series, RR does.

**Suggested listening: **All Time Low - _A Love Like War _(Leyna part 1), Avril Lavigne - _Hush Hush _(Caleo episode)

**If you haven't noticed already, I've never learnt Spanish (sadly), so my use of this language is based on translators, dictionaries and Wikipedia. ;D**

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**Special thanks to MxMSupporter for drawing a wonderful "smexy-love-hate-relationship-older!Leyna" for me when I asked her for it, writing this piece (can be found on our tumblr or on her dA account).**

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_**Stay**_

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She had her eyes fastened on her Imperial Gold spear. She parted her lips a bit and licked her lower lip, looking up to look him in the eye as they finished preparing their weapons. He swallowed, gripping his Celestial Bronze sword tighter. Protectors weren't the most comfortable things to wear, squeezing his knees and elbows to the point it nearly hurt. Maybe it _was_ a good thing to accustom to pain before she beat him into a bleeding pulp?

_How had it happened and when, they had no idea. The only thing that mattered was her pushing him roughly into _Argo II_'s wall, staring at him with a murder intention, and her fingers gripping his T-shirt in the moment his back met the cold metal. (But even that wasn't colder than her eyes.) He felt her dagger's blade's touch on his throat and swallowed nervously._

He almost missed her first charge. He shoved the spear away with his sword in the last second and jumped back. She attacked again, not leaving any time for him to think, when he was desperately trying not to get pierced through his vital organs. Remembering that attack was the best defense, he jabbed forwards with his blade. Of course she dodged that.

"_I could punish you right here and now..." she growled quietly "And I don't think you'd have as much courage as to tell anybody about it..." The dagger was going to cut the skin in anytime, he could feel that. He did the only thing that came to his mind when he was staring at her black, stormy eyes. He grabbed her hand with the weapon and pushed it down, fiercely brought her head to his with the other and kissed her. Kissed her _hard_._

He was finally starting to match her pace of the fight when she asked between pants "Tired already?" He snorted.

"Just the opposite, _reina_!" he answered with a grin. Her eyes narrowed and she tried to push him in the chest with her spear's shaft but he blocked that and counterattacked. Now it was her who was going back, he noticed with self-satisfaction.

_He heard her muffled curses against his lips but didn't break the kiss - instead, he deepened it even more. She gasped when she felt his warm tongue break into her mouth. Now he was going too far, _way_ too far. She hit him brutally in the stomach and he bent in half with a groan. "_Hijo de la gran puta! **[Son of a bitch!] **_What were you even trying to pull off?!" she shouted, considering adding another hit as he was mumbling swearwords in every language he knew._

And then, filled with the new enthusiasm, he winked at her. Her spear fell on the ground with a loud clatter. She was just looking at it, her eyes widened, until he tried to get closer and claim his victory. She noticed the move and jumped back, taking out a long dagger from the sheath on her right leg. Right. Like he could even think she'd come unprepared.

_He finally straightened and looked at her again. She felt an unknown sensation in her abdomen when he was staring at her, his eyes dark, wild and... _hungry_? He moved so close that their bodies almost touched, she could feel the heat radiating from him. "What..." she croaked out "What are you doing, _bruto **[idiot]**_..?"_

_He smirked and she felt her gut twitch. "Honestly..?" he muttered, putting a hand on her cheek gently "I've no idea..." And this time, he wasn't the only one attacking the other's mouth greedily._

She was unbelievably agile, he noticed. She dodged or blocked his every attack, and now she was fighting with a weapon twice shorter than his. Of course, it would only help him if he finally stopped gaping at her slender legs, the move of every muscle clearly visible as she was trying to rip his stomach open. Not a good strategy, Valdez.

_She was placed on the quickly tidied up top of _Argo II_'s wheelhouse and he was trying to get rid of her armor as quickly as he could. Her tongue mapping every nook of his neck wasn't of a help, really. "How do you..." he panted out "How do you take this _mierda **[shit] **_off?"_

_She chuckled. "Years of practice..." she purred out, sending a shiver down his spine._

Trying to stab any part of his body in her sight, she decided to throw him out of balance to finally end the clash that was getting surprisingly long. "I knew you weren't exactly the fighting type..." she started "But running away like Octavian would? I didn't expect _that_!" It worked, as he halted suddenly, leaving an opening for her to slash him through his chest free from protectors.

_"You're aware that I still dislike you, right?" she managed to say between quiet moans when he was kissing and nipping on the skin between her breasts, her fingers sunk in his dark brown curls. He chuckled._

_"I'm sorry, I haven't even known you _did_" he murmured in a husky voice, his hands struggling to open the clasp of her bra. "Does this change anything?" She felt the fabric fall down her arms._

_She smirked. "Not at all"_

The were both having a break, both panting heavily and not taking their eyes from their opponent. The cut on his chest hurt but it wasn't the most important thing. The crucial matter was to survive that duel in one piece. Why had he even agreed to leave Calypso with his friends and let the bloodthirsty praetor hack him into Leo Valdez mash? He couldn't remember.

_"Why don't you like me, _reina_..?" he asked, his tongue leaving a moist trail on her inner tight. She groaned, dissatisfied when he brought his face to her eye level. "No, no, first you answer..." he murmured hoarsely when she was trying to start yet another fight of their tongues._

_She sighed impatiently. "Firstly, you blew up half of New Rome" She put a finger on his lips when he was trying to protest. "Secondly..." she muttered, running her fingers through his scar-covered chest "You're crazy, I don't like that..."_

She growled like a wild beast, stopping his train of thoughts. Before he could even record what was going on, he felt the familiar touch of Imperial Gold above his Adam's apple. He tried to attack with his sword but noticed the blade laying on the ground a few meters from them. He gulped and looked at the aggressor. She was smirking triumphantly. "Who's the winner now?" she asked, a calm yet dangerous question.

_"You don't like crazy people..?" he asked, taking a small step back. "Then maybe we should stop..?" he asked, not being able to suppress a mischievous grin creeping onto his features._

_She whined, a quiet longing whine, and pulled him back to herself. "Come on..! Chill out, Valdez..." she muttered, closing her fingers on the hem of his black boxers. "Once in a while won't hurt, right..?"_

He felt the same urge he'd felt two years earlier on _Argo II_'s deck. To kiss her, kiss her hard, kiss her till they run out of air and maybe a bit longer, that were the only thoughts in his head in that moment. He wanted to taste that smirking mouth, to hear those muffled curses again and to feel her tongue surrounding under his own's pressure. So close, so easy to make come true, just a few moves to make..!

No.

He couldn't do that. He'd already made that mistake then and now it would be even more horrible. How could he do that to Calypso when she was so near..?

He cleared his throat nervously. "You are" he answered, trying to smile at her. She frowned like she could tell his attitude had changed during the past few moments, but didn't say anything and let him free.

**X**

They were walking back to armory in silence, him with his hand in his jeans' pocket and her stretching her weary arm's muscles. The silence was too annoyingly... silent for him to stand. "Soo..." he started, sending a weak smile towards her, at least finally more relaxed, self "How's life been treating you since..." If he said _since we fucked on my ship_, would that be considered impolitic?

Luckily, she answered before he got to finish the sentence. "Ok, I guess. Not anything I could grumble about..." she said carefully, piercing him with her eyes.

"... Cool..." he said, starting to feel a bit awkward with her orbs fastened upon him. They reached the armory and put their weapons back in their places. He turned around to face her, finding Reyna gaping at the red mark on his T-shirt.

"Take it off" she ordered, using her most imperious voice that made him obey without a second thought.

"Wait... What?" he asked when the sentence sank in, but by then it was only a matter of pulling the cloth down his arms, which she violently did.

Hey. Had a spark of excitement appeared in her eyes when she was examining his chest or was it just his sick imagination? He didn't have time to check that as she turned to some drawers in the corner and started rummaging in them, mumbling to herself.

"Here" she pushed a box of bandage, some swabs and an antiseptic into his hands. "I can dress the wound" she said, touching just above it with her cold fingers. He shivered but had no idea if it was because of their temperature or it had anything to do with his anxious lower region and slightly sped up breath. She put some liquid on the swab and dabbed the wound gently. He felt a tingling sensation in the small of his back. Was that a normal symptom? He gulped and she lifted her eyebrow.

"Hurts much..?" she asked, covering a smirk with fake concern, taking the swab away for a moment.

He snorted with laughter. "Y-yeah, right..!" he laughed nervously.

She finished cleaning the wound and took the bandage out of the box. "Put your arms up" she ordered and he did what he was told to do.

She felt her cheeks flushing when she was observing the cooperation of his bones and muscles (c'mon, he wasn't a body-builder but he _had_ muscles!) lift his arms. She cleared her throat and lowered her eyes when she was trying to unreel the bandage in spite of her body being horridly aware of his body's heat, making her head spin a little.

"I'm done" she announced after a few moments of awkward silence between them.

"Thanks, Reyna" he answered, hurrying to put his T-shirt back on. Ripped or not, it still covered more than it didn't, right?

**X**

"I'll take you home" he offered, going with her even though it was the opposite direction to where he was supposed to go. She looked him in the eye, surprised.

"I know New Rome better than you do" she pointed out. He shook his head.

"It's not about that! It's about my pride as a man!" he exclaimed with a grin.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say..." she muttered, making him whine.

"You don't see me as a man, _reina_?" he pretended to be offended, making her roll her eyes again but crack a tiny little smile. She wanted to answer, but a voice round the corner stopped them in their tracks. He _knew_ that voice.

"I'm just asking for a chance, Percy" What was Calypso doing there at such a late hour?

"I'm sorry, I can't do that" they heard Percy answer. "I can't say I was indifferent towards you but... Annabeth's the one and only" he finished with confidence.

He felt his gut writhe painfully. What was that all about..? Reyna was looking at his shocked face with true worry, her eyes widened and her eyebrows puckered. "Leo, are you sure..?" she tried to whisper but he already went to where the voices had come from. She heard a female gasp.

He saw Calypso and Percy standing alone in a faint light of one of the few lamps on the street. She paled when she saw him but quickly got a hold of herself. "Leo..! What are... What are you doing here..?" she asked quietly, not even looking at him.

He tried to swallow but his throat had suddenly become too tight. "Was that... Was that what it sounded like..?" he asked croakily. He noticed glimpses of tears in her eyes.

Percy lifted his lowered sight and looked at him crestfallenly. "I'm so sorry, man..." he sighed heavily.

Leo shook his head. "No, it's not... Just please leave us alone, ok..?" he asked of his friend. Percy nodded slowly and walked away, putting a hand on Leo's arm for a moment before he left.

"Calypso, were you... Were you..." he couldn't finish, it was too painful. Right, it _had _been too good to be true. Himself finally finding a girl to actually _stay _by his side? Not happening! But it didn't mean it couldn't hurt, right?

"I... I'm sorry..." she choked out in between sobs. "I really... _Really_ wanted it to work out but..." she took a deep breath and finally looked him in the eyes "I guess Percy's _mine_ one and only..." He wondered if she could see the blades stabbing his heart with that words. "You're a great guy, Leo, and I really like you but..." she said almost calmly but didn't finish.

He nodded. "Right..." he slowly turned around and went back to where he had come from.

She didn't stop him.

**X**

He was walking slowly, actually wandering aimlessly, and ended up climbing up _Argo II_'s rope ladder. Festus greeted him with a few reporting metallic clicks and he turned around, frowning. "Reyna..?"

She came out of the dragon's shadow and approached him almost hesitantly. "I figured you'd need some comforting..." she smiled sadly. He was confused.

"And why would _you _want to comfort me..?" he asked quietly.

She shrugged. "I don't know, I just do" she answered, coming closer. A crazy little idea had suddenly come to his head. What if Reyna _liked him_? She was now about an arm's distance from him. What if she wanted _them _to work out? What if he actually _agreed _to that? (And he heard a quiet call in his heart telling him to do so.)

Wouldn't he be acting just like Calypso, treating her like a fucking _substitute_?

"Please don't" he croaked out when she was so close that their foreheads almost collided. She frowned.

"Why would I?" she asked, putting her arms around him tenderly. It felt so good... But was so _wrong_...

"No, please..!" he wanted to sound firmly but tears blocked his throat. He felt her hand blend with his hair and his body gave up to the hug, ignoring the brain's protests. He inhaled her scent, his breath wheezy. "I don't want... I don't want you to be just some fucking consolation prize..." he sobbed on her arm. "You deserve to be treated better... _Hella lot _better..!" She was rubbing his back slowly, comfortingly.

"I haven't said anything about us becoming _us_..." she whispered and he'd almost become depressed even more, had he not heard a note of amusement in her voice.

"Are you _laughing at me_?" he asked, pulling away to look at her. She certainly wasn't laughing, but a bittersweet smile _was_ decorating her features. He felt her throw her arms around his neck and pull him close.

"But if we do..." she whispered "I don't give a fuck if you even love her more, I just..." her voice broke "I just want you to be by my side..." He was frozen, staring in the distance wide-eyed. His gaze softened and he returned the embrace clumsily.

"I'm not the prince charming you should be with..." he said quietly. "Just a regular repair-boy, ya know..?" She snorted and hugged him even tighter.

"I'm not interested in ideals... Actually... Somebody as fucked-up as me would do much better..." she said, absorbing the warmth of his body.

He chuckled sadly. "Really..? I think I know somebody like that..."

He shouldn't have been doing that to her, he knew that. She deserved to be brought all the Heaven's goodness, not stick to a broken machine like him. But he was grateful she stayed.

She was aware of his pain, of the darkness inside of him that could have mopped her up if she tried to fight it defenselessly. She could have run away and lead the seemingly peaceful life she'd led until then. But she wanted to stay.

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**ZJeM, 28-30.12.13**

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**From author:**

I don't give a fuck if you see this as a too tenuous plot. I know they haven't spent much time together and haven't got to know each other well so "why the want to develop a relationship?" and so on. I really don't care. I need RR to make them see how much fucking similar they are and today I'm hurt that he doesn't. So please don't bother me with your problems about the plot, I'm kindly asking of you.


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